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Three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus

a technology of distance measurement and three-dimensional distance, applied in the direction of instruments, image analysis, computing, etc., can solve the problems of weak light returning to the distance measurement equipment, difficult to accurately perform measurement, and difficult to normally measure distance, etc., to achieve the effect of suppressing the degradation of accuracy

Active Publication Date: 2019-03-07
HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a three-dimensional distance measurement device that usesTOF technology. The device can accurately measure the distance between the device and a subject by setting the range or amount of light that is irradiated onto the subject. This helps to prevent errors in the measurement caused by the subject's situation. Overall, the device provides accurate and reliable distance measurement usingTOF technology.

Problems solved by technology

However, the light returning to the distance measuring equipment is weak.
In addition, for example, if there is unnecessary light such as reflection light from any object other than the subject such as an indoor ceiling, it acts as a disturbance component and makes it difficult to accurately perform measurement.
In addition, when there are a plurality of subjects having different distances, it may be difficult to normally measure the distance because a reflection light intensity from a distant subject is weaker in some cases.

Method used

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first embodiment

[0036]In the first embodiment, a plurality of light sources are individually turned on to change irradiation areas for a subject.

[0037]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus according to the first embodiment. In the following example, it is assumed that a position of a person as a subject is detected. The three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus measures a distance to the subject including a person using a time-of-flight (TOF) method, and the distances to each part of the subject are displayed, for example, with different colors so as to output a distance image. In the three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus, a central processing unit (CPU) 17 controls a distance image creation unit 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a TOF camera) that creates a distance image on the basis of the TOF method.

[0038]The TOF camera 1 has a light-emitting unit 10 having a laser diode (LD) or a light-emitting diode (LED) that irradiates pulse...

second embodiment

[0075]Next, a three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus according to a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the laser light sources are configured to individually adjust the emitted light amount. A basic configuration of the apparatus is similar to that of the first embodiment (FIG. 1), and it will not be described repeatedly here.

[0076]A relationship between turn-on states of the laser light sources and the irradiated light amount distributions will be described with reference to FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11A, and 11B. FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate a case where all of the three laser light sources are turned on with the same light amount. FIG. 10A illustrates the irradiation areas, and FIG. 10B illustrates the irradiated light amount distributions across the cross section A-A′. Assuming that the three irradiation areas 3a, 3b, and 3c have irradiated light amount distributions 50a, 50b, and 50c, respectively, and maximum irradiated light amounts La, Lb, and Lc,...

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Abstract

A three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus include: a plurality of light sources 11 that irradiate light onto the subject; a light emission control unit 12 that controls light emission from a plurality of light sources; a light-receiving unit 13 that detects reflection light from the subject; a distance-calculating unit 14 that calculates a distance to the subject on the basis of a transmission time of reflection light; and an image processing unit 15 that creates a distance image of the subject on the basis of calculated distance data. The plurality of irradiation areas 3 onto which light from the light sources are irradiated are arranged to partially overlap only with the neighboring ones. The light emission control unit 12 individually turns on or off the light sources 11 or individually adjusts the emitted light amounts.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY[0001]The present application claims priority from Japanese patent application serial No. JP 2017-169404, filed on Sep. 4, 2017, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION(1) Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus that outputs a position of a subject such as a person as a distance image.(2) Description of the Related Art[0003]There is known a distance measurement apparatus (distance measuring equipment: DME) that measures a distance to a subject on the basis of light transmission time (hereinafter, referred to as a “time-of-flight (TOF) method”) and outputs the distance as an image (distance image). For example, a person location detection apparatus discussed in JP 2009-174830 A has a distance displacement detection means that detects a distance displacement to an object in an indoor space on the basis of distance information from ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): G06T7/521
CPCG06T7/521G06T2200/04G01S17/08
Inventor IZUMI, KATSUHIKOMATSUURA, NAOYAKAMISADA, TOSHIMASA
Owner HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE
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